Truth of the After
House Lyra began as a society built upon vision. It questioned what was possible in the mortal realm and sought to put all that it found on display. Philosophers questioned tirelessly. Merets created without end. Neshmet, spawned from questions of loss and religion, protected the fallen. Orpheus was a planet of imperfections that Lyran nobility hoped to mold into something better than it was, a microcosm of the sector on a whole. The scream ruined that. The planet became nearly uninhabitable. Surviving Lyrans were forced into their mountain city, unable to leave as storms and bacteria took over the surface. Their society was gone. Centuries of work were wiped out in an instant. Despair took over. The people, noble and common alike, demanded to know how such a thing could have occurred. And a small group of Lyrans returned with an answer. They were once seen as outsiders, mad people who were too close to their work. They would become the founders of Lyra’s hope. They created the Truth of the After. The Beginnings & Beliefs The Truth of the After was a wake of Lyrans from different walks of life, allowing them access to various avenues of Lyran culture. Tapping into the misery of the populace, it was easy to convince others to join the fold. Tehuti spread their reasoning while Merets took over the cultural zeitgeist, creating a memetic force that exists to this day. While some cultures would be geared towards war or sex, House Lyra has remained focused on celebrating life’s beginning and end. Accepting the natural death of all things is truly Lyran. Initially, the force was led by anger and distrust. God had failed the planet of Orpheus, abandoning it and leaving its people on the brink of non-existence. House Lyra rejected God and embraced the true guiding force, known as the After. The concepts of the Here, After, and Void were already a part of normal society, but they were reshaped by the cult. The Void is a complete loss of self, the ultimate point of failure meant for those who failed to have a truly positive effect on the Here. In nothingness, one’s souls is torn into a blank state and sent back to the Here in a new form. Those who accomplished powerful bonds and left a good mark Here are given access to the After, an unending paradise. To take another’s life would harm not only the fallen’s bonds, but the bonds of all in their life. Life, just as death, is to be honored and respected in full. Rather than worship a God who created the After, Lyra believes the After created God. Lyrans are made in the After’s image. In response to the loss of the High Church’s influence, the Truth of the After also installed a belief that only Lyrans could ever see the truest form of the After. All others would be guests of the After, permitted to limited access at best. To save a loved one Here, a Lyran must show them the Truth. As the members of the Truth passed away, power was quickly swept up in secret. A secretive entity known as the Shadow Council became the ruling body of House Lyra. To this day, few even know of this body’s existence and none know who exactly is a part of it. Post-Silence, Return to the Empire Upon rediscovery, House Lyra found itself in an interesting predicament. The return of proper society resulted in a need to reintegrate. The Shadow Council was immediately forced into action, creating a sense of tolerance around the High Church. To the outside eye, House Lyra remained loyal to the High Church and completely normal, aside from a fascination with death. Rituals moved out of the light and into the shadows of one’s home. The secretive nature of House Lyra took hold as it became clear that the sector would never be the same. The House returned to its position as the funeral practitioners of the empire, fully embracing their morbid identity. Soft smiles and gentle bowing to others became standard, though in secret a deep arrogance was always present. The Truth of the After declared all outsiders to be misguided and in need of saving when the time came. In the age of the Blood Eagle, House Lyra took its next step toward cultural influence, sending Horusets to guide the minds and actions of others. The House played all sides of the conflict to remain safe, avoid an early trip to the After. Soon after, the Masked One enabled House Lyra to begin a greater spread of cultural domination. It was their first chance to fully express their glory. Since then, House Lyra has returned to its shell, embracing secrecy as a member of the Minor Houses. Today Out-off date, see Philosophy and Beliefs for now House Lyra sees the empire and laments. What was once great is now on a precipice, teetering towards collapse. Violence has been embraced by Houses and Church alike. The massacre of Cygnus, the growth of the Church of Humanity Repentant, and now the STO conflict have shaken Lyra’s faith in the leading force. Every day the empire moves away from the After’s graces. God is seemingly abandoning their creator. House Lyra knows the Void. It understands it’s call. Soon, the House will have to make a choice on what to do next. The Shadow Council moves in secret. The populace await the call. Category:House Lyra